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GOLF;Stockton's Big Lead Is Barely Enough

With Dave Stockton holding a seven-shot lead going into the last round of the 17th United States Senior Open, it seemed that the only question was who would finish second.

But Hale Irwin, eight strokes behind Stockton when the day began, shot a torrid round and got within one stroke with only two holes left.

Stockton's huge lead was, however, too much for Irwin to overcome. Stockton carded 17 pars and, on the last hole, a bogey to capture his first United States Golf Association event, winning by two shots over Irwin, the hottest player on the Senior PGA Tour this year. Stockton shot 73 for a four-day total of 277 or 11 under par at the Canterbury Golf Club in this Cleveland suburb.

"I'm not surprised at all he didn't wilt," Irwin said of Stockton, who has a great reputation as a front-runner.

"Maybe if there had been some others," Irwin said, perhaps thinking of Greg Norman, who lost the Masters in April with a six-shot lead in the last round. "Let's be realistic. We knew what we were playing for today."

Just about everyone behind Stockton going into today's final round admitted that the round was played to determine second place. Yet Irwin applied pressure on Stockton with seven birdies that brought him within a shot with two holes left, only to bogey the 17th and 18th and finish with a 67 for a total of 279.

"It was fun to be challenged," Stockton said of Irwin's sizzling round. "I don't shy away from a challenge. That's why I'm a good front-runner."

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Stockton, who was the captain of the Ryder Cup team in 1991, the year the United States reclaimed the prestigious trophy, has 11 victories on the PGA Tour and now has 12 triumphs on the Senior PGA Tour.

"I can't describe the sensation of winning a U.S.G.A. event," he said. "This year is not the best, but this tournament makes it my best year ever."

Ray Floyd was a shot back of Irwin at 280 after a round of 68. Graham Marsh (69) was next at 282, followed by Jay Sigel (72) and Tony Jacklin (70) at 284. Bob Charles, the first-day leader, who played with Stockton all four days, was next at 285 after a round of 74.

Jack Nicklaus shot 73 on two birdies and three bogeys and finished at two-over 290. Nicklaus, a two-time winner of the event, finished second last year to Tom Weiskopf. His 16th-place finish this time is his worst in the event. Nicklaus said earlier in the week that if he played poorly here and poorly next week he might consider skipping the British Open.

Arnold Palmer, at 66 the oldest player in the field, shot 73 on three birdies and four bogeys for his best round of the tournament and finished at nine-over 297. He said afterward that he was disappointed with his performance in the tournament and will not play in next week's Senior Players Championship, which he has won three times.

CHIP SHOTS

VINNY GILES of Richmond was the low amateur with a total of 11-over 299 after shooting 74 on the final day. It was his fourth Senior Open and as the low amateur this time he automatically qualified for next year. . . . Two Long Islanders, TOM JOYCE of Huntington and ART SILVESTRONE of Northport, were paired in the first group of the final round. Joyce shot 74 and finished at 302, while Silvestrone shot 81 and finished at 308. . . . By virtue of finishing second and earning $125,000, HALE IRWIN became the fastest player on the Senior PGA Tour to earn $1 million in a year. He has earned $1,045,725 in 13 events, breaking the record of 17 by LEE TREVINO and RAYMOND FLOYD.